Of Soot And Cinders

XXVII

GRIMM

I nearly fainted when I realized where exactly Aita was resting. Wolf grunted as he caught my weight. The nurse—who's name I still hadn't learned—looked at me with worry.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

"It's—um." I eyed the door. "My mate is in there?"

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Ah." I blinked slowly. Why in the Goddess' name would they bring him here?

"Is there a problem, your Majesty?" The healer was pressing the back of his hand to my forehead now.

"It's my mother's old room." I swallowed and leaned into Wolf as indication that we could move forward. "Who ordered this?" I ask. We all focus on my slow steps before the nurse offers an answer.

"The kin—your father. Your Majesty, he ordered both his royal chambers and the Luna's royal chambers be cleaned and for you and your mate to be moved in."

I nodded though I still didn't understand. "And my father is?"

"He moved to the east wing, has holed himself up." Wolf said.
I hadn't spoken to my father since the "trial" convicting Aita. I had no idea what his motivations or intentions had been during any of this but from what Wolf had said, my father had intended to remove Aita from my life one way or another. But then why would he give Aita my mother's old room, the one place he held most sacred.

Lady Whitehead pushed the doors open slowly, cautious of their creaking hinges. I had been in my mother's old chambers only once. It had been a small act of rebellion, sneaking to a place my father had forbidden I go. I was eleven and strong headed as ever and wanted to know about my mother.
The room was much the same. The massive fireplace was to the left of the room, heating the usually cold stone floor. Tall windows with thick curtains were to the right. There was a desk in front of the middle window, empty of any paper or ink, and in front of the fireplace was a seating area, chairs cushioned with velvet and floor swathed in an intricately woven rug depicting the first Luna. The bed was massive, four large posts held up heavy curtains which had all been tied back for better access to the still inhabitant lying there.

It was an immediate salve to my pain seeing him. Another nurse sat in a chair to the left of the bed where Aita had been laid. A table had been set up near by to hold an assortment of healing equipment. I could see a large array of vials and bottles, some had glass of dark green and blue, some looked like crystal and some looked like they were carved out of animal horns or tree roots. There was a hefty pile of clean bandages and tools sharp enough to cut bone. In the corner was a bucket of bloody water well as a pile of dirtied cloth which had yet to be disposed of. I pulled my eyes away from the soiled cloth when I realized it held not only bandages but the comforter and sheets which had been on the bed and the suit that I had given to Aita.

I didn't need to think about that. My mate was here and he was safe. I was led to the right side of the bed and while I was settled Aita's nurse left the room to fetch the healer. The bed was comfortable and with the mountain of pillows stacked behind me I was able to relax.

I looked over. Aita was on his stomach. The blanket was only up to his waist to keep pressure from his back. The bandages wrapped around his torso extended down under the blanket and I wondered how much of his body had really been injured. I was eager to hear from the healer.
His head was turned towards me. I could see deep shadows in the flesh around his eyes, and caverns where his cheeks should have been flushed. His lips were scabbed over from biting them through and parted just enough to draw shallow breaths. His arms were at his side so they would not pull at his wounds. I knew I should'by but I desperately wanted to hold his hand. I refrained and settled for running my fingers through his hair, stroking his cheek and temple with my thumb.
His hair, which had been washed, was white and feather soft. It was also much shorter than I remembered. It's length did nothing to hide the whitened scar on his neck. His hair had hung down to his mid back when braided and to his waist when free. Now I wasn't sure that it reached his shoulders. I looked to my nurse in confusion.
"What happened to his hair?"